Some interesting facts and figures about Time Management and Personal Productivity for your use and enjoyment.

During the last twenty years, after making over 2,000 presentations around the world, I have gathered some interesting facts and figures about Time Management and Personal Productivity for your use and enjoyment.

- There will be 2.2 million deaths in this country this year. 75% are from causes that are largely preventable.

- There will be 2 million marriages in this country this year and 1 million divorces.

- 95% of divorces are caused by a "lack of communication"

- The average working person spends less than 2 minutes per day in meaningful communication with their spouse or "significant other".

- The average working person spends less than 30 seconds a day in meaningful communication with their children.

- 80% of employees do not want to go to work on Monday morning. By Friday, the rate only drops to 60%.

- The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage their time.

- The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes, or approximately 7 an hour, or 50-60 per day. The average interruption takes 5 minutes, totaling about 4 hours or 50% of the average workday. 80% of those interruptions are typically rated as "little value" or "no value" creating approximately 3 hours of wasted time per day.

- On an average day, there are 17 million meetings in America.

- By taking 1 hour per day for independent study, 7 hours per week, 365 hours in a year, one can learn at the rate of a full-time student. In 3-5 years, the average person can become an expert in the topic of their choice, by spending only one hour per day.

- 95% of the books in this country are purchased by 5% of the population. 95% of self-improvement books, audio tapes, and video tapes purchased are not used.

- 97% of workers, if they became financially independent, would not continue with their current employer or in their current occupation.

- 20% of the average workday is spent on "crucial" and "important" things, while 80% of the average workday is spent on things that have "little value" or "no value".

- In the last 20 years, working time has increased by 15% and leisure time has decreased by 33%.

- A person who works with a "messy" or cluttered desk spends, on average, 1 1/2 hours per day looking for things or being distracted by things or approximately 7 1/2 per workweek. "Out of sight; out of mind." When it

Don Wetmore, a college professor and an attorney, is president of The Productivity Institute, ( www.balancetime.com ) and has been in the field of Time Management / Personal Productivity for over twenty years. Reach Don Wetmore by email at: ctsem@msn.com